


Angst

by Raveniires



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Telepathic Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 23:44:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15130349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raveniires/pseuds/Raveniires
Summary: J'onn dies.Bruce has to deal with it.





	1. Chapter 1

Superman stared at the Joker through the hospital observation window. Between the casts all over his body, and the bruises and swelling on his face, he was nearly unrecognizable.

“He’s gone off the hinges,” Jim said. He had his arms crossed as he stood next to Superman, back against the glass. “The Joker didn’t even do anything bad enough to warrant this. He’s refusing to talk to me. If this continues-”

“I understand. I’ll deal with him.” Superman frowned at the sight in front of him, then turned away and headed towards the Batcave.

He expected at least the light of the computer, but it was entirely dark. If not for the sound of Bruce’s heartbeat, he would have thought the cave was empty. He walked through the cave, following the sound to one of the farthest parts. His eyes had adjusted to darkness by the time he reached Bruce, who was curled up and hugging his legs to his chest.

“Bruce, we need to talk.”

“It was supposed to be me.” Bruce said. His voice was hoarse and quiet, almost like he had been screaming for hours. He probably had.

“Bruce, you–”

“I know. I fucked up.”

Clark sighed and sat down next to Bruce. “I know that you’re hurting right now, but you can’t-”

“The Joker knew.”

Clark went silent, everything he had planned to say dying on his lips. The Joker was crazy enough to think that he could actually taunt Batman. He wasn’t sure he would have acted differently if he had been in Bruce’s place.

“I would have killed him if Dick hadn’t been there. I would have _killed_ him.”

Clark put a reassuring hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “You didn’t.”

“I wanted to. I still want to.” Bruce dug his fingers harder into his cape that was pulled over his knees.

“We need you Bruce. After–” Clark trailed off and sighed, “we can’t lose you too.”

Tears were gathering in Bruce’s eyes. “I can’t make any promises.” He shook his head. “I’ve never been this alone.”

“You’re not alone Bruce. We’re here for you.”

“You don’t get it. You can’t. Do you have any idea how many years it’s been since I’ve been alone in my head?” Bruce asked. “Ten. Ten years. Ten years, and now I- I don’t know what to do anymore.” He choked out. He buried his face against his arms.

Clark swallowed hard. He didn’t understand, not fully, but he had an idea about how much it hurt. He pulled Bruce against his chest, hugging him as tight as he could without hurting the man.

Bruce stiffened instantly, but he eventually slumped and clung to Clark, shoulders shaking. “I miss him,” he sobbed. “I just want him back, I want this to be a nightmare Tetch made. I want to wake up with him beside me again.”

Clark rubbed Bruce’s back, trying his best to soothe him. “I know. I know. I miss him too.” He held Bruce tight, speaking meaningless words of comfort. Clark closed his eyes, praying to Rao that Bruce would recover. That he would get his friend back. That Bruce would laugh again someday.

Deep down, he knew that it was pointless.


	2. Chapter 2

Batman was stronger than Superman had ever been. Clark knew that, it was a truth of the universe. He had never seen Batman break. Hurt, bleeding, injured beyond all belief, but he had never broken. Not until that day.

The explosion had rocked the entire building, and before Clark knew it, Bruce was running down the hall straight towards the blast. He wanted to follow, but he the roof started to collapse and he was forced to stay and try and hold it up. "Diana, what's going on?"

The comm crackled in his ear. "I can't see J'onn."

"Batman is headed your way."

"No, he won't survive here."

"I'm a little busy, I can't get to him." Clark grunted. "Flash, do you have everyone out of the building?"

"Everyone but us." Wally replied.

Clark shifted to better hold the ceiling. "Then we need to get out."

Most everyone chimed in with their affirmation. Clark just hoped that Diana could keep Bruce from getting himself killed.

 

* * *

 

Diana blinked rapidly, trying to see through the thick smoke. She headed towards where she had heard Bruce run. Between the smoke and the fire, he didn't have very long, and she knew that she had to get him out as soon as possible. She stumbled over the rubble from a wall that had blown outward. Through the smoke, she could see Bruce.

He was crouched over J'onn who was looking like he was in bad shape. Diana hurried over to them. She swallowed hard when she saw how badly J'onn was hurt. His skin was charred and blackened, and he didn't look like he was breathing much, if at all.

She carefully scooped J'onn up. "Let's get out of here." She flew through the flaming building towards the exit. Bruce was right behind her. As soon as she got outside, she carefully laid J'onn on the ground. Bruce was by his side in an instant, carefully holding his hand.

"Flash, get help!" Diana yelled.

There was a huge crash as Clark let the building collapse.

"J'onn, no." Bruce said, tears clear in his voice. "You can't leave me. J'onn, please, I can't do this without you."

J'onn shakily reached up and cupped Bruce's cheek. He whispered something Diana couldn't hear, and Bruce leant down and kissed him.

"J'onn, I love you."

J'onn smiled, and he closed his eyes.

Bruce pulled him into J'onn lap and hugged his limp body, rocking back and forth and sobbing audibly.

"Bruce," Diana said softly, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" He snarled.

She backed away from him, blinking away tears of her own. She looked around at the crowd that was forming, then turned to Clark. "Let's get these people away." She pressed against the comm in her ear. "Wally we need you on crowd control. Right now."

"But I thought-"

"It's too late."

Wally made an injured sound. "You don't mean-"

Diana looked over to Clark helplessly.

"Flash, just help us get through today, alright?" Clark said. He took to the sky, and Diana started herding people away from Bruce. He needed a chance to mourn without people watching.


	3. Chapter 3

Blood dripped down between his fingers and onto the concrete. He stumbled forward a few more steps, then collapsed heavily against the wall. The Batmobile was still a few feet away, but he couldn’t make his feet move. His vision was blurry enough that he doubted he would even be able to start the car anyway.

If he was honest with himself, he had always known it would end like this.

He slumped, dropping to his knees and leaning against the wall. His eyelids slipped shut, and he felt himself drifting.

_ Bruce. _

“J’onn?” he whispered.

_ Bruce. You have to get up. _

He shook his head limply. “Can’t. I’m done.”

_ You are not done. You have to keep fighting. _

“I’m so tired J’onn. I just want to be with you again.”

_ I know. But it’s not your time. Your children still need you. Damian needs you. _

“Damian.” He shook his head, trying to clear the fog that was settling in his mind.

_ You can do this. I believe in you. I love you Bruce. _

“I love you too J’onn.” With his free hand, he pushed himself up and away from the wall, stumbling forward to the Batmobile. He collapsed halfway on the hood and dragged himself along until he could drop into the driver’s seat. “Home.” He rasped out.

The car came to life, driving out of the alley and heading back to the Batcave. The rumble of the engine lulled him off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

“J’onn!” He sat up suddenly, looking around the room frantically. It was his own bedroom, and the ache in his side made itself painfully apparent.

Alfred pushed him back down onto the bed. “Easy sir, you came very close to meeting the reaper last night.”

He swallowed hard. “J’onn talked to me.”

Alfred was silent.

“I wouldn’t have made it home without him.” He blinked back tears.

Alfred gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll let Jason know that you’re still alive and he cannot kill the Joker.”

He nodded, staring up at the ceiling. As soon as Alfred had left, he whispered, “Thank you, J’onn.”

For a moment, he almost thought he felt the phantom touch of gentle fingers against his cheek.


End file.
